Digestible Energy Content of Low Quality Barley Fed to Pigs
Western Canadian barley has a large range regarding DE content. DE content should be known in order to accurately formulate diets, minimize feed costs and reach a predictable swine performance. Equations were developed to predict the DE content of low quality barley using chemical and...
Soluble and Insoluble Non-Starch Polysaccharides on Nutrient Digestibility and Ileal Bacteria Populations in Grower Pigs
Fermentation of material in the gut may change from soluble (guar gum) and insoluble (cellulose) non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) influencing gut bacteria populations. Available nutrients and energy for the pig are reduced when fibre in their diet increases. Ileal bacterial populations and energy digestibility were studied...
Soluble and Insoluble Non-Starch Polysaccharides on Digesta Passage Rate and Voluntary Feed Intake of Grower Pigs
Economically, supplementing or substituting alternative non-conventional feed ingredients to conventional feed ingredients in pig rations may be attractive, but feed utilization and voluntary feed intake may be compromised due to non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) fractions. These are not digestible and may harm overall digestion. To reduce...
The Effect of Starter Feeding Regimen on Variability in Bodyweight and Performance in the Nursery
Negative impacts on revenues and expenditures are associated with variability in performance and growth. Variation either needs to be managed or reduced. Starter program effects may influence the growth of individual pigs in the nursery to allow younger or smaller pigs to catch up to...
Electronic Sow Feeder: A Preliminary Report
Housing of gestating sows is one of the more controversial aspects of pig production as they are one of the most restrictive practices in livestock production. Group housing systems may solve this problem for gestating sows with the electronic sow feeder system being investigated. From...
Effect of Social Group Size on Aggressive Behaviour of Grower-Finisher Pigs in Fully-Slatted Floor Rearing System
Previous research mainly focuses on small group sizes but commercially larger sizes are becoming more common. Social behaviour in larger groups of pigs is not well understood, though they are likely to have different social strategies. These behaviours should be monitored in order to ensure...
Systems Engineering for Handling and Land Application of Solid and Semi-Solid Livestock Manure
To increase environmental sustainability and social acceptance of intensive livestock production, a top priority is research on manure handling and land application. Solid and semi-solid manure have had less research and development compared to liquid manure and slurry. Control of application rate of the product...
Simulating Ammonia Emissions from Slurry Pits
The main sources of ammonia in a pig-housing unit are the slurry pit and urine puddles. Less nitrogen is excreted when protein in the diet is decreased, while increasing fermented carbohydrates like sugar-beet pulp increases nitrogen excretion in the feces and less in the urine....
Greenhouse Gas Odour Emissions from Pig Production Buildings, Manure Storage and Manure Treatment Facilities
Livestock operations and manure management contribute largely to the agricultural sectors greenhouse gas emissions. Nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, methane and odour emissions were studied in Quebec and Saskatchewan swine operations. Carbon dioxide was the most prevalent of the greenhouse gases measured with the largest amount...
Impact of Combining a Low Protein Diet and Oil Sprinkling on Odour and Dust Emissions of Swine Barns
Oil sprinkling has been shown to be an effective dust control strategy. It also reduces gas emissions which may effect the odours emitted from the barn. To further investigate this area, protein diet with fermentable carbohydrates were included to see if a relationship was present...